Final answer:
The poorest were forced to enlist in the Civil War due to the draft, where the wealthy could avoid service by paying for substitutes—leading to the perception of it being "a rich man's war, but a poor man's fight." The tension from this inequality and racism towards African Americans culminated in the violent New York City Draft Riots of July 1863.
Step-by-step explanation:
The main reason the poorest individuals were forced to enlist in the Civil War was due to the Enrollment Act, also known as the draft, which was the first effort at conscription among the northern populace. Wealthy New Yorkers could evade service by paying a $300 fee to hire substitutes, a sum far beyond what working-class citizens could afford. This policy led to the perception of the Civil War as "a rich man's war, but a poor man's fight," causing significant tension and resentment among the less fortunate, particularly in New York City (NYC).
This built-up tension and inequality eventually exploded into the New York City Draft Riots in July 1863, one of the worst race riots in U.S. history. The riots were fed by racism and fear that freedmen would take the jobs of those conscripted, as well as anger towards the draft's unfairness towards poor white citizens. The violence primarily targeted African Americans and resulted in the destruction of property, including the burning of a black orphanage and over 200 related deaths. Ultimately, the federal government had to intervene to suppress the violence using Union soldiers freshly returned from Gettysburg.